Paris Unveils Spectacular Seine River Opening for First Summer Olympics in a Century

PARIS — Marking a century since it last hosted, Paris commenced the 33rd Summer Olympic Games with a groundbreaking opening ceremony on the Seine River, showcasing France’s cultural tapestry and introducing a novel approach to the traditional Olympic kickoff.

According to Yonhap News Agency, the ceremony featured a 6-kilometer parade of 6,800 athletes from 205 national delegations, including the Refugee Olympic Team, along Paris’ main waterway. This marked the first time an Olympic opening ceremony was held outside of a stadium. An audience of 320,000 spectators watched from the riverbanks as athletes passed significant landmarks such as the Notre-Dame Cathedral and the Eiffel Tower, despite earlier disruptions from arson attacks on the city’s high-speed rail network and a persistent rain that could not dampen the spirit of the occasion.

The parade was enhanced with 71 giant screens and 1,000 loudspeakers, ensuring that the festive atmosphere reached every spectator. Greece, the birthplace of the Olympics, led the procession, which concluded with the host nation, France. Notably, the United States and Australia, hosts of the upcoming 2028 and 2032 Summer Games respectively, also featured prominently. South Korea, under its official name ‘Republique de Coree,’ was the 48th country to enter, led by high jumper Woo Sang-hyeok and swimmer Kim Seo-young.

South Korea’s participation is marked by its smallest delegation since the 1976 Montreal Olympics, due to failures in qualifying for major team sports. However, the Korean Sport and Olympic Committee (KSOC) has set a goal of securing five gold medals, aiming for a top-15 finish in the medal count.

The Paris ceremony, embodying the motto “Games Wide Open,” was orchestrated by theater director Thomas Jolly and featured around 3,000 performers. This distinctive format not only embraced the historical essence and modern vibrancy of Paris but also positioned the city as a leader in innovative Olympic presentations, being the second city after London to host the Summer Games three times.